


Missed Signals

by delawana



Series: Time to be Storytellers Weekly Prompts [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, The Blight (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-17 00:17:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21045164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delawana/pseuds/delawana
Summary: Alistair convinces himself that the pretty Warden he's fallen head over heels for couldn't possibly care for him.





	Missed Signals

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the [Reddit weekly prompt](https://www.reddit.com/r/dragonage/comments/dgv4lv/spoilers_alloctime_to_be_storytellers_the_dragon/f3g9oia/) "Whispers, a gentle touch, eyes filled with heartache, a sob then smile," as part of the love interest POV theme.

Another night, another dream of the archdemon. Even after months of having them, Alistair wasn’t sure that he’d ever get used to them. They were always so disconcerting, in more than just a “god-dragon screaming at you” way; the archdemon had a seemingly unlimited army at his disposal, and what did they have? Just a duty and the barest glimmer of hope that seemed to grow dimmer by the day. If anyone could succeed at this impossible task, though, it would be Lyna. 

He’d known her for such a short amount of time but there was nobody else he would trust with his life more. Trust with… a lot of other stuff too. It was honestly a little scary how strongly he felt about her. He wanted to tell her, but what if she didn’t feel the same way, or it was too soon? He’d let it slip that he cared about her when he impulsively gave her that flower and still felt embarrassed about it sometimes; she couldn’t possibly feel the same way about him and was probably just being nice when she accepted it. She hadn’t been anything but friendly towards him, sitting near him at the fire and laughing at his idiotic jokes, bringing back little presents that she found throughout their travels, taking some watches for him to let him sleep longer. Any kind of romance was probably out of the question.

Deciding to find out if Lyna was awake and wanted to talk about the archdemon dream - as friends, of course - Alistair got up and glanced towards her bedroll. It was empty. He was about to ask Leliana, who was on watch, if she’d seen her when he spotted an elf-like shape walking alone by the river just outside of camp. Running his hand through his hair to try to smooth out any bed head he walked over to her.

The rushing water sparkled in the moonlight and reflections from it illuminated the area, dancing through the rushes and bathing everything in a bluish glow. Lyna was pacing slowly back and forth with her arms crossed, her platinum hair, usually tied back in a tight low bun, loose on her shoulders. She looked ethereal in the dimness, like a nymph that might bound away suddenly never to be seen again if he surprised her. She looked pretty.

“Did the archdemon dream bother you too?” he asked her, his voice sounding loud and intrusive in the stillness.

She turned to face him with the quiet grace that he always found so impressive. He was loud and gawky, while she always seemed to have so much poise in any situation and… wait, was she crying? Her cheeks were streaked with tears, but it was her eyes that drew his attention. There was an indescribable sadness in them. She looked haunted, his poor dear - friend. Even with everything that had happened, he wasn’t sure that he had ever seen her cry before, she always seemed so strong. He fought off the urge to just wrap her up in his arms.

“Was there another dream? I haven’t slept.” Her voice was low, just above a whisper.

“Yes, but it doesn’t matter - what’s wrong, Lyna?” He led her over to a large, mostly flat grey rock along the river bank where they sat down beside each other. They were close enough that he could slightly feel her warmth against his arm.

“It’s nothing,” she said, wiping at her face.

“Oh good, I can do something about that. Watch as I drive back the fearsome Nothing with nothing but my wits and charm! Aargh, I’m coming for you Nothing!” Alistair gesticulated wildly with his hands and Lyna made a choked sound that seemed like a cross between a laugh and a sob and smiled at him. She pressed her shoulder against his for a moment in thanks, like any close friend would.

“I just…” she began, “Ever since the darkspawn raid on the camp I’ve been thinking about Tamlen. He was my friend, Alistair. We’d been together since we were born, he was practically my brother! I should have looked for him. Maybe he could have been a warden too. Even if… it would have been less cruel for him to die in the joining than as a darkspawn by my hand.”

She held her head in her hands, lowering her voice to a whisper. “He was my family. Without him, without my clan, I’m all alone.”

“You’ve got the Grey Wardens. We’re supposed to be brothers. And sisters too,” he said, trying to make her feel better. He knew what a lame comfort that was from personal experience; he’d never had a real family to begin with, and now that his mentor Duncan was gone he was rudderless, not sure what to do next. There didn’t seem to be a soul in the world who would miss him if he died on this nearly hopeless quest. He hoped that Lyna would, though.

“You have me,” he whispered. “I’ll be your family.”

Lyna looked up at him and smiled a soft, sad, smile. “And I’ll be yours.” She reached out and took his hand in hers and his heart leapt at her touch. “Can you stay with me, Alistair? Just for a while,” she asked him. 

He nodded silently. He had so many things he wanted to say, but if he began to blurt them all out he’d probably just ruin the moment, maybe even their friendship, and he couldn’t bear to lose something that had become so dear to him. But of course he’d stay. He’d stay forever and ever if she asked.

She squeezed his hand gently and rested her head against his shoulder. As a friend would, he told himself.


End file.
